


The Finest Hours

by moggcat



Series: The Finest Hour [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, I wrote this at 5am, Other, Really bad summary, bad summary, first fic please be kind omg, gender neutral reader, literally losing my nerve to post this as we speak
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:07:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22558360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moggcat/pseuds/moggcat
Summary: Both General Hux and (Y/N), the promising young First Order Commander will do anything to survive the tumultuous battle raging across the galaxy. Can their relationship survive as well?
Relationships: Armitage Hux & Reader, Armitage Hux & You, Armitage Hux/Original Character(s), Armitage Hux/Reader
Series: The Finest Hour [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1623115
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26





	1. And My Words Came Stumbling Out

**Author's Note:**

> finally after literally years i FINALLY wrote something..... god lets hope my motivation can see me to the end lol. shoutout to the hux slvts discord server for getting me off my ass and onto my google drive i love y'all 
> 
> enjoy :^)

You had only enlisted in the First Order a couple years ago, but you were good. Very good. You were the youngest officer on the bridge, and your coworkers didn’t let you forget it. Lunches were spent alone at the end of the table, or worse - a refresher stall - and even as you worked you could feel envious eyes burning like blaster bolts in the back of your head. But all of that faded away as soon as you sat at your computer, your mind and eyes working a thousand lightyears per second as you analyzed and compared charts, tracking the Resistance and constantly thinking of new methods to bring them down.  
It’s not like you had much of a choice, of course. Like most of your colleagues, it was enlist or starve. Your family had always been short on credits, and realizing from an early age that physical combat was neither where your heart or your strengths lay, you threw yourself into your studies, earning scholarships and graduating at the top of your academy class. With that came a job offering with the First Order and you took it in a heartbeat, if not necessarily for the cause but for the betterment and guaranteed survival of you and your family. For that, you’d do whatever it took, even if it meant travelling far far away from home.  
Today was like all the others. As you finished your lunch and returned to your desk, you felt the familiar sensation of being watched. However, unlike most days, it didn’t fade away after a minute as the rest of the bridge staff distracted themselves with their own duties. You turned your head slightly to see a shadow at your side.  
“Excellent work, Commander (Y/N),” General Hux’s voice rang out across the bridge. “Five minutes still left of your lunch break and yet you’re already back at work. Your fellow officers could use you as an example.” He looked around the bridge, pointedly eyeing the rest of the staff as they sheepishly abandoned their conversations and got back to work. He returned to his duties as well, but not before looking back to you, his gaze lingering just long enough to feel purposeful, and just as you felt a blush dangerously creeping behind your cheek, he was gone.

\----

You did not have a crush on your superior. You did NOT have a crush on your superior! You repeated this to yourself as you walked back to your modest quarters. You didn’t want to have a crush on General Hux, you couldn't afford to have a crush on General Hux. You punched in your door code and immediately kicked off your shoes. Having a crush on General Hux doesn’t defeat the Resistance. Having a crush on General Hux doesn’t pay the bills. Having a crush on General Hux most definitely doesn’t comply with the solitary lifestyle you’d created for yourself within the First Order. This much you could convince yourself.  
But goodness did it feel good to have one of the highest ranking officers, the personal protege of Supreme Leader Snoke himself compliment your work, and to the shame of your coworkers no less. You threw yourself onto your mattress and laughed. You felt like a schoolchild again, vying for the attention of their professor, the intoxicating pride when your work would be selected to be displayed for the class. This was even more exciting - a General of the First Order singling you out when even your fellow commanders would hardly give you the time of day.  
General Hux was like you, his intelligence and motivation like that of someone twice his age, his rank far outshining that of his peers. You’d admired him since your very first day on the bridge. The way he commanded a room, how he answered to almost no one, how the red lights of the computer screens made his hair seem even brighter than a dying star, how-  
“Oh shut up,” you said out loud, smiling to yourself. You did not have a crush on General Hux, though repeating that to yourself as you fell asleep seemed to betray the true feelings of your subconscious.

\----

The next day as you sat at your station you worked harder and faster than ever, this new motivation brought on by the fear that if you lifted your head even for a moment, you’d meet eyes with the General, and if you caught his eye, he’d talk to you, and if he talked to you, well, your brain had invented a number of consequences for that. Throwing yourself into your daily assignment was also helping distract you from the dream you’d had, from remembering how real his hand had felt in yours, soft from the constant protection of his ever-present black gloves. And how sweet his voice sounded as he called out-  
“Commander (Y/N)!”  
Oh kriff. You slowly lifted your eyes to meet his, feeling your body spark up. You cleared your throat  
“Uh… yes? Uh, sorry, yes sir?” Way to go. You cringed internally, your fears manifesting.  
“Its half past 12, Commander,” Hux said, his eyebrows tightening with concern. “You’ve missed half your lunch break. Normally I’d commend favoring work over leisure, but you should eat.” For a moment, you could do nothing but stare blankly at him. The cold and calculating commanding General was concerned with your eating habits? But then he spoke again. “It's proven that work quality tends to decline without proper nutrition.”  
“Oh. Yes, right, of course, sir,” you shook your head as if to physically shake off a daydream. You stood to gather your things and leave for your brief recess, but as you reached to switch off your computer, you were stopped by Hux’s hand, gloved, as usual. He leaned in every so slightly so as not to draw the attention of the bridge staff, his voice dropping so only you could hear.  
“And tomorrow,” he whispered, “how would you like to accompany me to lunch? I’d like to learn more about our hardest working Commander. You swear your eyes must have grown to the size of moons as you nodded.  
“Really? That sounds - yes sir, I’d like that,” you stuttered once again. Hopefully by lunchtime tomorrow you could compose yourself enough to get through a single coherent sentence.  
“Excellent,” replied General Hux. “We’ll meet here tomorrow at 1200 hours. Try not to work through it again.” His face contorted into a ghost of a smile. At least you think it did, you’d never seen him give anything to compare it to. But as he returned to his desk and you walked alone to the staff canteen, you were smiling enough for the both of you.


	2. He Doesn't Know Why

“Try not to work through it again.”  
You couldn’t if you tried. Your usually pristine work was halted today by your constant pausing to glance at the clock. It would be just your luck that right when you’re recognized by your most respected superior your work begins to suffer. Hopefully General Hux wouldn’t notice your lapse in quality today.  
What could he possibly want to talk to you about? Of course, there was the possibility of being promoted, but did you really want that? At your current level, the next position would give you authority over your coworkers on the bridge, but you were quite content with keeping to yourself, focusing on your work to get your next paycheck. You didn't think you had the mindset or dominance to make big decisions for the First Order and - praying no force using mind readers were watching you at the moment - you didn't think you had the loyalty either.  
It was a complicated situation. You weren't against the First Order, you wouldn't dream of betraying them, and you cared deeply about completing your work well and on time. You’d never seen much of the galaxy outside of your home planet and the Order’s various bases, but as you climbed your ranks you heard whispers, saw glimpses of the suffering your work and your organization had brought across the galaxy. You couldn't focus on any of that, though. You couldn't dwell on whether or not you were on the right side of history, you were never given that choice. The First Order had recruited you. And they paid.  
It was more than that, though. You weren't a selfish person. If all you needed was a place to sleep, food to eat, and a cause to work for, who’s to say whether or not you’d still don that immaculate black uniform? But you had your family to think about, and you couldn’t let them down. Even though you’d barely been able to communicate with them since you’d enlisted, the majority of every paycheck you earned was sent back home without fail. And how you missed them….  
Your train of thought was derailed by a tap on your shoulder.  
“I knew you would,” Hux said with a trace of a smile and an unmistakable touch of cheek in his voice. “Now, let’s get on before your break is up.” You stood and started following him towards the canteen, nearly losing your balance as he took an unexpected turn halfway down the hall.  
“Sir?”  
“No, we won’t be dining in the canteen” Come to think of it, you’d never seen the General join you and your fellow officers in the staff canteen. The more you thought about it, the more the idea seemed beneath him. He was such a private man, he most likely took his meals in -  
“Your quarters? Am I allowed there?”  
Hux chuckled. “Of course. Today, you’re my guest.”  
As you continued silently through the winding corridors, half a step behind Hux so as not to lose him as he effortlessly took more turns than you could keep track of, it occured to you why he was so keen on leaving on time. You’d never been to this area of the ship before; you’d never really been anywhere on the ship besides your room and your station. Hopefully as the General’s guest, you wouldn’t be reprimanded when you inevitably got lost on your way back to work.  
The deeper the two of you progressed into the ship, the larger the doorways and the further the space between them became. You were distracted by this observation when finally, suddenly, Hux stopped, and you narrowly avoided crashing into his back. He entered his door code and the blast doors opened, revealing a lounge populated by mostly grey furniture with accents of sky blue. A pet bed sat in the far corner which piqued your curiosity; you wondered what slept there. The room was minimalist by most standards, but you couldn’t help but marvel at how much nicer it was than your modest lodging.  
Hux pulled out a silver dining chair at a large glass table and motioned for you to sit. Spread out across the table were various plates and bowls of steaming bread and stews, ripe fruits with moisture glistening over their skin like stars, and even a tiered stand of colorful biscuits and cakes.  
“I didn’t know what you’d like to eat so I ordered, well, all of it.” Hux said as he slid his coat over the back of his chair, removed his gloves, and sat across from you. You were in a slight state of shock. The fearful General of the First Order, leader of thousands of faithful soldiers and creator of weapons of immense destruction was offering you baked goods. Here in his quarters, however, he seemed like a different man. Smaller and more relaxed, as if along with his coat he’d also shed the character he portrayed in front of his subordinates. Why was he so willing to let his guard down in front of you? And what did he even invite you here for anyways?  
“I assume you’re wondering why I’ve invited you here,” Hux said as if reading your mind.  
“Yes, actually,” you replied, forcing your voice to be louder than you’d prefer it to be in your timid state.  
“Your contributions to the First Order have not gone unnoticed. As well as punishing those whose work is insufficient, I find it beneficial to reward those who deserve it, and I believe you do.”  
“Thank you, sir, but I'm just a desk worker, I input and analyze data. I hardly think I’ve made that much of a contribution.”  
“Nonsense. Your loyalty is what makes you admirable. Most of your coworkers would rather mess around making jokes and ignoring my orders.”  
“I don’t pay attention to what my coworkers do.”  
“So I’ve noticed,” Hux took a sip of steaming tea from a large black mug. “I admire that as well.”  
Silence fell between you two before you broke it, perhaps unwisely.  
“I don’t want a promotion, if that’s what this is about.”  
“Why not? We could use your hard work among our higher ranks.”  
“Well, if it's my place to say, I don’t think I’m fit for a leadership position. I don’t think my abilities in that area would be of any use to the Order.”  
“I see.” Hux paused for a moment and nursed his tea, deep in thought you picked at a chunk of bread. “Why did you join the First Order?” He finally spoke.  
You looked up at him for what felt like the first time all day, expecting the menacing mask to have returned to his face, but you were met with soft eyes, eyes you trusted. Eyes that somehow made you tell the truth to the man who could have you killed or banished to a planet unfit for human survival.  
“My family depended on it. My mom got sick when I was little and my dad had to take on two extra jobs just to keep my brother and I fed. I worked hard to put myself through school so I could get a job like this and send money back to my father and brother. My father’s getting older now and can't work anymore, it's the least I could do.”  
“It sounds like to have a very close bond with your family,” Hux stated with the slightest melancholy tone in his voice.  
“I do.”  
“You're very fortunate.” He was trying to hide it, but you couldn't help but notice how lost Hux suddenly seemed, and all the implications that came with that. The General was such a guarded man, and with one statement you now felt you knew why. His cold and commanding presence wasn't an advantage - it was armor.  
“Your brother, then, how old is he? Will we be expecting to see him among our ranks any time soon?” Hux changed the subject slightly.  
“He’s 17, sir, and well I’m not sure,” you lied.  
“Really? Why’s that?”  
“Well I don't get to talk to him very often, and when I do, we try not to discuss the… political aspect of things,” you say, hoping he would understand what you meant without you having to say it out loud, without you having to put into words the secret you’d been carrying with you for months, the secret that weighed you down and motivated you to work harder, to keep up your appearance as a loyal First Order officer. Your brother, your closest friend in all the galaxy, the person you loved and trusted most in the entire galaxy would be enlisting as a Resistance fighter on the day he turned 18.  
Suddenly your spoon seemed like the most interesting object as you twirled it around your bowl of stew. Hux noticed your guard coming back up and he reached out a hand to rest on yours. Your head snapped up and your eyes met his. His bare hand was just as soft as you’d imagined in your dreams.  
“I understand,” he said, and you believed him. His thumb brushed over your hand before he withdrew it. “And I trust you.” With what, you weren’t sure, but you believed that too.  
“Why did you invite me here, really? And don’t say my loyalty again, because we both know that isn’t true.”  
“I suppose it's my turn to be honest then,” he sighed. “Ever since the destruction of Starkiller, it’s been hell. Snoke’s losing trust in me. Ren and I were already at odds but he seems to be going madder each day. And so am I. Sometimes it feels like everything I’ve worked for is crumbling around me, like my reputation has become a joke. And then I see you on the bridge and it’s like a breath of fresh air. You care only about the work you’re doing, not the gossip behind the scenes. When I look at you, I can imagine that none of that exists. And you’re the only officer on the bridge who hasn’t taken to calling me “Hugs.”  
You laughed.  
“Like I said, I don’t pay attention to what my coworkers say, General Hux,” you said, making a point to enunciate the “x”.  
“No, don’t call me that, either,” a smile crept over Hux’s face. “Call me Armitage.”  
“Armitage,” you whispered, barely able to contain a grin that would surely take over your entire face if you’d let it. “Thank you for telling me that.”  
“Thank you for listening. I hope you don’t see me any differently after all that.”  
“I do. In a good way.”  
“Oh? How so?”  
“I’ve always looked up to you, thought you were so strong. Now I see you’re even stronger.”  
You’ve never seen Armitage look so happy before. Any trace of the usual mask he wore of the fearsome General had fully melted away, leaving before you a human being. A human being with eyes like oceans and a smile that always seemed a bit difficult, like he wasn’t used to the feeling of it. A human being with depth you could get lost in and layers you couldn’t wait to explore. And incredible taste in food. You followed his lead as he took a cake off of the stand; it was sweeter than anything you’d ever eaten. He must have them catered special, there was no way this was made in the canteen. It was quite literally the icing on top of this perfect moment.  
You heard a soft chime, and his smile dropped.  
“Oh, I hate that sound,” Armitage groaned. That sound meant your lunch break was over. You both stood up as Armitage put his coat and gloves back on.  
“Sorry if this has been awkward,” He said. “I don’t usually tell my life story on the first date. Well to be honest, I don't usually tell anyone anything.”  
Your ears perked up at his use of the word ‘date’ and you felt a spark through your body, though you decided there not to put too much thought into it. Of course, you wouldn’t mind if Armitage had romantic intentions, you wouldn’t mind at all, but he probably didn’t and even if he did, he likely wouldn’t pursue them. You tried your best to convince yourself of this.  
“It’s alright, I don’t usually either. I’m not sure what came over me.”  
“I guess we just bring it out of each other,” he said softly. “(Y/N), I’ve enjoyed this lunch very much. Shall I expect you to join me again tomorrow?”  
So much for convincing yourself.  
“Yes please, sir. I’d like that very much.”  
“Armitage.”  
“Armitage…”  
“(Y/N)” His gaze lingered on your lips just long enough for you to notice exactly where he was looking before he was distracted by another chime. Armitage pulled his datapad out of his pocket and sighed. “Well, I’ll see you then. I’d like to walk you back to your station but unfortunately it looks like I’ve got some sort of disturbance to take care of at the moment. Will you be alright going back on your own?”  
“Oh yes, I’m sure I’ll be able to manage,” you lied, remembering how long it took to get here and how little you’d paid attention to where you were walking. “Good luck with whatever you’ve got to deal with. I’ll see you tomorrow.”  
“I can’t wait.” Armitage gave you one final smile as he opened, which you returned before turning to leave. Like the day before, you kept smiling to yourself as you walked alone, not even caring if you were late back to your station. You felt like you were floating through the halls, so giddy from the experience of the past hour. Your mind was too occupied with visions of Armitage’s smile to think about anything else, not your brother or the Resistance or what your coworkers might think when you finally return to work, once you free yourself from this maze of corridors. Let them say what they want, it didn’t matter to you. General Armitage Hux was on your side now, and you couldn’t help but feel like everything was about to change.

And so it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took so long!! at least it felt like it took a long time to me lol. hopefully in the future the chapters will come a week or less apart.
> 
> WOW this is the most i've ever written in one go lol. hopefully its coherent since i wrote it between 3 and 7am lmao
> 
> check out the playlist for the series here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2v92Nx8MQJfXJNziq83B8g
> 
> thanks for reading & follow me on tumblr @ chewle.tumblr.com !!!! and please give kudos &/or comment if you like the fic! this is my first time ever writing and your support means so so so SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!

**Author's Note:**

> what i set out to be a fluffy oneshot is now mutating into a multipart slowburn ??? i actually have a pretty solid idea of where this is going lol so y'all will just have and see ;)
> 
> like i said this is my first fanfic EVER so if you got this far that means it was at least not horrible enough to make you stop reading after one paragraph so THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF MY WRITING JOURNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i hope you liked this & i can't wait to write more !!!
> 
> also shoutout to anyone who know what song the title/chapter title are in reference to!! i already have a playlist of inspo songs so that'll probably be a running theme lol


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